Vampire Rose's
by Mizuki-Kuran
Summary: Yuki manages her pregnancy starting at her two month anniversary with Kaname. Prequel to Child of the Vampire's blood and sequel to the Lover's Moon. A/N Please please be patient with me, it may take me a bit, but I will update this story!
1. A Special Night

Yuki looked out the window of her home. Their home. Her's and Kaname's. Kaname had been by her side almost every second since their intimate ceremony that deemed them married. This time though, Kaname had left for the day on business. In anticipation of his return, she'd fussed in the kitchen not even an hour past, trying to prepare a wonderful, romantic meal. She wasn't sure if he remembered or not, but it was their two month anniversary today.

With that knowledge, she'd made a mess in the kitchen, even knocking down a mess of pots and pans. Every other vampire in the house had been drawn to the noise, and in the end Ruka and Aido ended up helping her cook. Now, the only thing missing was her mate. She'd already gotten dressed in the beautiful ball gown that she'd worn the night she was presented as his fiance. Ruka had done her nails, while Aido brushed her hair almost obsessively.

Now she was sitting by one of the large windows overlooking the doorway of the house. She felt like a child again, running through town looking for him. Heavy clouds hung low presenting a threatening atmosphere. According to Ruka it was supposed to snow later on. Always with the snow. It seemed like winter year round. And every single time something major was about to happen, the heavens let loose with a blizzard, then it was gone the next day. She was still learning some of her powers as a Pureblood Vampire, but she was 99.9999999999% sure that they couldn't control the weather. Takuma might know; but then again all he'd ever been able to tell her was that Purebloods possessed countless powers that other vampires didn't have and only they knew exactly what they could do.

It seemed like a very stupid theory, but she was bored. She wrapped a piece of her long chocolate hair around her finger. He should be home soon. She looked at the lock of hair she'd twisted, stroking it with her thumb. It had been freshly washed in preparation of the dinner, so it was smooth, almost like silk, against her thumb. Even though she only kept her hair like that because it made Kaname happy, she had to admit, the look had grown on her in the last few years.

She looked back out the window before bolting from her spot to the door. Kaname was on the path, heading towards the old mansion. Yuki stumbled, almost tripping over her floor length gown before giving up and running for the door, the skirts held recklessly in her hands and her hair streaming like banners behind her.

She barely reached the door before she heard the handle rattle. She took a deep breath, smoothed her dress, and smiled. The door opened and Kaname stepped inside. In the brief moment before the door closed, Yuki could feel the cold air outside, predicting the snow. The door creaked closed, leaving Yuki to look back at her handsome mate. He hadn't noticed her yet as he removed his tan duster jacket, which had been his only protection from the cold. She knew that even with all his powers, he still had to be susceptible to the cold.

Kaname slowly hung the jacket on the coat rack before turning towards her, relieving a soft sigh as he did. He seemed tired and a little run down. Yuki's heart ached at the mere sight. She wanted to erase every weary thought from his mind, to see him at ease as he had been during rare moments with her.

Kaname caught sight of his beloved as he turned towards the staircase. His breath caught as he looked her over. The dress was the same one that he'd gotten her to wear so long before. The lingering scent of shampoo hung around her as did several other scents he was to tired to process. His story of working that day had not been misleading, he did have work that needed tending too, but he'd also wanted to buy her a gift. So half of the day had been dedicated to work, and just before he got home, he'd handled the even harder task of shopping for something special.

He'd considered countless beautiful dresses as well as a few lingerie items, but he turned them all down. He wanted her to have something that meant more than three or four yards of cloth sewn into a dress his darling would only wear once or twice. So, in the end, he'd ended up in the jewelry department, staring at racks of jewelry with descriptions he knew nothing about. He'd rather deal with work problems than this. Shopping in a small market was one thing, but a large jewlery store? Finally, after wading through karats of diamonds and ruby's and sapphires and goodness knows what other kinds of gems, he'd found the perfect gift. Tucked safely in his coat pocket, inside the jewelers case was a delicate gold chain, housing a locket. A ruby heart had been added to the outside of it, and he'd taken the time to have it engraved with a small message. And now, looking his beloved girl over, he knew that every effort he'd put in would most likely pale in comparison to what she had planned.

"Onii-sama, are you ok?" Yuki asked in concern, reaching one of her frail hands out to his cheek. Kaname caught her wrist effortlessly, stooping to place a gentle kiss on the inside of her palm. He could sense her blood just beneath the surface. It had always been so sweet, and he'd only been able to drink from her in the last few years. And in that time, it seemed his thirst for her had only increased. But then again, he had starved himself and only her blood would truly help. He pulled his thoughts from blood to look at her big innocent eyes. She was beautiful; like his guardian angel watching out for him.

"I'm alright, Yuki" he spoke gently, releasing her hand to envelop her in a hug designed to comfort them both. He could smell her sweet scent around him and it was pulling him into a trance. Gradually, another scent made its way into his keen nose. Rather, it was a scent that had been there all along, but had become more prominent in the last few seconds. "Yuki, did you make dinner?" he asked, pulling away to look in her doe-like eyes. His hand moved to cup her cheek, allowing his thumb to stroke her cheek gently.

Her worry was replaced by her carefree smile that he knew all so well "Well, thats what I'd planned to do... but I messed it up pretty bad... so Ruka and Aido helped me!" a faint blush dusted her pale cheeks.

_I'm so stupid! _Yuki thought, kicking herself mentally. She shouldn't have said that last part. It was supposed to be romantic, but she made it sound anything but. She heard a gentle sigh and looked up to find Kaname smiling at her. It was his normal smile; slightly amused and tender. The smile he only ever gave to her. She reached up, gently taking the hand that was caressing her cheek. "You know what today is right, Onii-sama?" she asked, a smile playing on her lips.

Kaname's smile grew into a playful smirk. Of course he knew. He wouldn't forget something like their anniversary. "Perhaps this would be the reason you made dinner?" he asked, clearly ignoring her comment about having help.

Yuki's cheeks flushed slightly, along with her lips as her face devolved into a pout. "Did you really forget Kaname?"

He laughed softly and smiled at her "As if I could forget something so important, My Dear" He bent again, kissing her lips tenderly. "Happy two month anniversary, Yuki" before she could reply, he straightened, looking around the room. The mouth watering scent of the meal had worked its way to his stomach and he was starting to feel his stomach grumble a complaint.

Yuki looked up at him, hearing the faint mumble of his stomach. She smiled, knowing the heavenly around had caught up to him. Wordlessly, she took his hand and pulled him towards the living room. A small, round, cherry wood table had been set up beside the large fireplace. Inside the mantle, a fire burned with a hot fury.

A white lace tablecloth had been set up over the table, and over that, delicate plates painted with roses. Two wine glasses already filled with blood tablets sat beside the plates. Between the plates at the center of the table, a large candle burned with a soft glow. Kaname smiled at the romantic presentation. His eyes were drawn to the delicate plates, which had been loaded with tender steak and mashed potatoes. Kaname hugged her close, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead "It looks delicious, Yuki" he murmured. She smiled up at him brightly, moving to her chair. She was surprised, but somehow not completely, when Kaname pulled her chair out for her.

Kaname took the moment to examine her. She was beautiful as always, but lately, even with her natural beauty, she seemed to glow almost. All he could consider was she had some piece of good news that he might or might not hear about. He positioned himself across from her, sharing a tender smile with his beloved before reaching for his fork.

Yuki tried, with great effort, Kaname noticed, to eat with all the grace and refinement she had. On an everyday basis she was a medium eater, not to messy, but not exactly perfectly neat either. But tonight, she was trying so hard to be perfect in every movement. It was amusing, in a sweet, tender way. Kaname reached for the glass in front of him, lifting the cool crystal to his lips. The tablets tasted bland next to Yuki's blood, but they did their job and quenched his thirst.

The two ate in silence. The atmosphere around the two calm and loving. Yuki finished her food after him, noting that he ate with all the elegance that she'd tried to achieve, only he ate much faster. After the long day he must've had, a nice meal would be best for him, she thought. He must have been starving to have eaten so fast. She made a mental note to offer her blood to him later on.

Finally, Yuki finished her meal as well. She watched as Akatsuki, who'd actually dressed himself nicely for once and -even more shocking still- had offered to be a butler for the two that night, took their cleaned plates. When the room was clear, Kaname rose from his chair and made his way to his mate. She looked so small in her chair, and the familiar urge to protect her swept over him. He bent and scooped her into his arms, making a slight detour to retrieve his jacket before heading upstairs to their bedroom.

Yuki looked at the jacket in confusion. It never came upstairs with them. Even if they tried something different in bed, they never used the 'normal' accessories that were even deemed normal. No furry handcuffs, no whatever else anyone could think of. Thus her curiosity was piqued by the coat.

She didn't have to wait long. Kaname opened and closed the door without apparent effort, setting her on the bed. She crawled into a more comfortable position, watching as he removed something from the jacket pocket. It was a long black velvet box. Inside, she heard something jingle softly.

Very slowly, Kaname sat beside her, placing the thin box in her hands.


	2. Yuki's Secret

Yuki opened the thin box carefully. Her eyes widened as she saw the locket. The clouded ruby nestled on the face of the heart reminded her of her lover's beautiful eyes. With great care, she removed the locket from its case, examining it in greater detail. Kaname's hands moved into her vision as he took the delicate chain from her, undid the clasp and re-clasped it around her pale neck. His other arm looked around her, gently pressing her back against his chest. He bent his head to kiss her neck tenderly, feeling his arm move with her breathing.

Yuki could feel his heartbeat against her back as she touched the locket with one slender finger. His face remained nuzzled in her neck, soothing her. They remained thus for countless minutes, enjoying the feel of each other and their cherished time. Though he was almost always there, it never seemed to be enough for either of them. And while their tender moments seemed numerous, to both of them it seemed fleeting and hardly ever that they could embrace in such a way.

Kaname was the first to pull away. Yuki's breathing had changed in the last few minutes. It was only a small change, but enough to alert him. She'd fallen asleep. He wasn't insulted or even hurt that she had, after all, it had been a long day for her he imagined. He himself had been near sleep, losing himself in her scent and his thoughts. He gently shifted her to lay on the bed. The dawn had started to come, and in the faint light of day and night, she was beautiful. He sat beside her, watching her for several minutes, admiring her beauty. The way the necklace chain adorned her swan-like neck, how her dark hair flowed like a wave over the pillows. Many other thoughts crossed his mind as he unbuttoned his shirt, getting comfortable, before crawling into bed next to her. Gently, he wrapped his arm around her, holding his beloved wife to him.

Yuki awoke the next evening, surprisingly she was the first one awake. Normally Kaname was up before her, but this time, he was beside her in bed. He was so peaceful when he was asleep. Even at their most tender moment, he never looked that much at peace. Her thoughts came to a crashing end as she scrambled out of bed, heading for the spacious bathroom.

Kaname slowly came to awareness at the faint scent of blood. He was still drowsy, but even so, he hoped that the scent would fade as he continued to wake up. It was the other way around. His mind came to attention as he recognized the scent of his own blood. Small alarms went off in his mind as he began to process if he was injured. A sound joined the scent as he forced his eyes open to stare at the top of the beautiful canopy bed. He sat up slowly, noting Yuki's absence. His mind cleared a little more before he left the warmth of the bed, making his way to Yuki's side in the bathroom.

Yuki was stooped over the toilet, vomiting up her last meal and some of the blood that she'd received from Kaname before he'd left the previous day. Her hands worked to hold her locket and her hair back. She could hear and sense Kaname's approach, but she felt to terrible to pay it much more than a notice. She could feel his hands gently stroke her back before taking her hair, freeing one of her hands. Even though she couldn't see him, she knew his lips would be set in a worried way along with his dark eyes.

She was correct. Kaname's free hand continued to caress her back as he watched her. It was times like this that he felt useless to protect her. He could protect her from anyone that threatened her, but he couldn't protect her from her own body. He breathed a small sigh of relief as her retching finally turned to coughs. "Yuki?" he asked softly, gently pulling her away to embrace her. "Whats the matter?"

Yuki trembled, watching his arms envelope her. At the risk of vomiting again, she sank her fangs into his arm, drinking several mouth fulls of blood for the sake of clearing away the awful taste in her mouth. She felt his flesh tense briefly as she bit, but he made no objections. She pulled away, wiping the blood from her lips. "P-Please don't worry, Onii-sama" she smiled slightly, meeting his worried eyes with her innocent ones. "I'm alright... I promise"

Kaname's expression didn't change as he moved a hand to caress her cheek "Yuki... whats going on?" he asked softly "I feel that you've been hiding something from me" even though he would fight to deny it, it hurt that she would hide anything, at least anything majorly important to either of them, or their health, from him.

Yuki sighed and pressed her hand against his. It was time to tell him. "Kaname I'm..." she hesitated and took a deep breath "I'm pregnant"

Kaname's eyes widened in shock, quickly replaced by joy. Without waiting for her to say more, or even to know how far along she was, he kissed her passionately. Yuki returned the kiss with her own joy. Their family would quickly be complete, and perhaps through this act, she could make her mate happier than she'd ever seen him in her life. She felt his strong arms lift her up, without breaking the kiss. He carried her back to bed, gently laying her on her back.

In two words, he'd understood everything. Her recent glow, her thirst as of late, and her illness. He finally broke the kiss to sit beside her. He stared at her for a moment, drinking in her lovely completion, before edging himself down to rest his head over her flat abdomen. He closed his eyes and began to relax. The heat of her body seeped though her nightgown, warming his cheek. He felt her warm hands encircle his head lightly running her fingers through his hair.

A brisk knock at the door broke the tranquil moment as Ruka and Aido stepped inside. Their faces grew apologetic as they saw the scene before them. Ruka averted her eyes, a faint blush present on her cheeks. Aido glanced at Ruka in understanding. After all, she had been in love with Kaname for several years. It had taken Yuki's awakening to pull her to reality, and ever since then she'd been trying to stay there.

Kaname had pushed himself up, his torso still shirtless from the night before. The muscles of his arms and chest were well defined, even in the gloom. He looked to perfect to be flesh and blood. Even Aido had never seen Kaname without a shirt of some sort, so the sight shocked even him. Despite how everyone thought he was gay for Kaname, he was more of a harmless, obsessed, close-ish friend of the Pureblood.

"Lord Kaname, forgive us for interrupting you" Aido quickly spoke up, feeling the Pureblood's wine colored eyes narrow on him. He never felt to comfortable in that position. Ever. He always got punished when he was looked at like that. He decided to finish up quickly "Your company was requested by Sir Ichijou" He nudged Ruka, reminding her to bow with him.

Yuki sat up as the two left. Kaname was already securing the buttons on his button up shirt. "Its strange.." Yuki said, her voice almost absent. Kaname continued to get ready, but his eyes turned to her, completely devoted to her next words. "Calling Takuma 'Sir' like that.."

Kaname smiled slightly. "It is indeed" to most extents he agreed with her. Takuma was his oldest friend, and the only one of the vampires who was ever allowed to address him without honorifics. So now, having to address him with an honorific was. . .very strange to say the least. He gave his reflection a once over to ensure he looked decent for the outside world.

Kaname turned to Yuki, who still sat in bed. It felt so wrong, leaving her after she just told him the second best thing he'd ever heard -aside from saying yes to 'will you marry me?'. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, then her lips. "Take care. . . both of you. I'll be back as soon as I can"

"I will" Yuki whispered after he pulled his lips from hers. Yuki sat in bed at watched as he turned from her and left the room. The door claimed an official _click_ to signal his absence.


	3. Preparation

Kaname stepped from the luxury car that had brought him to Takuma's manor. The few guards who were watching the home bowed and stepped aside as he entered. Kaname stepped up to the door of Takuma's study. He was trying to decide if he should knock or not, when the door was opened by an elderly butler. Kaname nodded a thank you and proceeded inside.

Takuma sat behind an oak desk, looking over a few papers. He set them down when he saw Kaname. His calm somewhat sober expression was replaced by the warm, kind smile that had once been so normal to him. "Kaname" he stood up and crossed around the desk. "I'm glad you came"

Kaname nodded "Of course I did, Ichijou" he was relieved to see his oldest friend, at least from this lifetime, smile again. With Sara having been around, and keeping Takuma like a personal toy, Ichijou hadn't smiled in a long time. Not a real smile anyway.

"I wanted you to know that I'm throwing a party tonight, and I wanted to personally invite you and Yuki" Takuma smiled again.

Kaname felt a smile pull at his lips. This seemed just like Takuma to do something like this. After all, he did it to Yuki for his birthday party a few years back."Thank you for the invitation, Takuma. I'll be there, and I'm sure Yuki would enjoy it as well"

"How is Yuki anyway?" Takuma asked, pouring a glass of water and adding a blood tablet. He turned and offered the glass to Kaname, who accepted politely.

"She's well" he hesitated before deciding to share their news. After all, Takuma was his best friend. "She's with child"

"Really?" Takuma's kind smile widened. "Thats wonderful news, congratulations to the both of you"

"Thank you" Kaname moved the cool glass to his lips, taking a generous sum from the liquid contents. "I should go inform Yuki of the soiree" he said gently, setting the glass down "I'll see you there"

Takuma nodded and smiled "Of course"

Kaname nodded and left. It might not have shown, but he was grateful to have Ichijou back to how he was. Even the stress from being the new head of the Ichijou family wouldn't affect him as much as Sara had. At least with his work, he could get a break.

Kaname had barely stepped back into his home before he was attacked. . . by Yuki.

"Kaname!" she giggled, jumping into his arms "I missed you!"

Kaname caught her easily, holding her close "I wasn't gone that long" he pointed out, before burying his face against her neck "But I missed you too" he pulled away a few seconds later "Ichijou is throwing a party tonight and we're invited" he said softly "Do you think you'll feel well enough to go?"

Yuki's eyes lit up at Takuma's name "Of course I'll feel good enough! I wanna see Takuma!"

Kaname smiled gently "Don't over work yourself, Yuki" he advised.

"Don't worry, Onii-sama, I won't!" she smiled "I should go get ready, I have a reputation as a Pureblood after all" she giggled, blushing slightly.

Kaname grinned "As do I. Though I look forward to your presentation, my dear" he kissed her hand gently.

She blushed, still a little nervous from his embrace. She knew it was a little foolish to feel nervous, but she couldn't help it. Ten years of past experience couldn't be erased in a few years. Yuki turned and headed upstairs. Ruka would most likely do her nails again, unless Kaname decided to. Even over a year later, that still shocked her. She shut the door of their room before opening the closet. Her gaze turned towards the half containing her evening dresses. A beautiful cloudy blue caught her attention so she pulled it off the hanger. It was perfect; spaghetti straps, gauzy layers flowing to the ground and forming a small train. She looked it over before deciding to say something out of the ordinary for her "Well, do you think I'll look ok in this?"

Silence met her. Of course it would. She was talking to thin air. Well, sort of. She'd been talking to the baby. She never had before and it felt strange, talking to her stomach. She took the dress with her into the bathroom, where she began to draw a warm bath in preparation. It was midday, but after she finished everything that she needed to do it would be sunset - or really close. She had to wash her hair, dry it, style it. Then there was makeup, nails, shoes, the list went on.

Thankfully Ruka would help her with her makeup, and nails. She leaned back in the mild water, enjoying the warmth.

Over four hours later, her hair had been washed, dried and straightened. Pale blue makeup had been applied to her eyes along with eyeliner and mascara. Any type of foundation had been ruled out thanks to her naturally flawless skin. Ruka was just putting the finishing touches on her nails; one coat of clear nail polish on both her fingers and her toes. Her nails had been filed to perfection and smoothed out before being painted. Out of everything, who knew there was a small block that makes the top of your nails so smooth it looks like natural nail polish? It made them so smooth and shiny.

Once her nails dried, Ruka helped Yuki to pick out a beautiful pair of Greek style black sandals. Lastly, she stepped into the dress while Ruka pulled it up around her. The loose layers allowed her to move freely, and hide her pregnancy, even if she wasn't showing. By the time everything was complete and she had a small clutch in her hands, it was sunset. She'd heard from Ruka that Kaname had relieved Aido of his room while he got ready. Ruka had come already dressed for the ball at hand.

Yuki took a deep breath, looking at her finished outfit. Ruka had tried to persuade Yuki to wear a necklace more suited to the outfit, but Yuki had refused. She wore her locket instead. Besides, in her opinion the gold and the ruby added a nice touch to it. It was a plesent break from the constant blue of her attire.

Yuki smiled at Ruka, nodding a thank you. She was amazed that Ruka got herself ready in so short a time. Especially with Akatsuki as her date for the night. She brushed her hand over her stomach for the last time before leaving the room. Ruka was already downstairs with the others.

Kaname watched Yuki reach the top of the stairs. Her mere appearance took his breath away. She looked stunning. The blue of the gown was perfect on her. He hid a small smile as he noticed she was still wearing the locket. Feeling very formal all of a sudden, he bowed to her as she began her decent, holding his hand out to her elegantly.

Yuki smiled, and quickened her pace to take his hand. Kaname helped her down the last few steps before gently tucking her arm in his. "Well now, shall we go?" he asked, squeezing her hand gently.

Yuki nodded "Yes.."

Kaname smiled and nodded to the others, who opened the door before allowing the two Purebloods to exit. Seiren closed and locked the door before hurriedly returning to the group.

Two cars stood outside; one for Kaname and Yuki and one for everyone else. Kaname helped his beloved into the car before he entered as well. He shut the door against the night before signaling to the driver to procede. Behind them, Akatsuki displayed the same type of manners that Kaname had by helping Ruka into the car. Aido offered to help Seiren, but she slid in without a word. After several more minutes, the second car sped into the night to follow the Purebloods.


	4. A Sudden Surprise

Yuki stepped out of the car, her hand firmly in Kaname's. The entire manor was alive with lights and cars and people in beautiful ball gowns. For a split second, Yuki felt horribly under dressed. Well, considering most of the dresses had skirts that billowed out like a princess, and her dress simply fell to her ankles. However, unlike them, she was a Princess. And with Kaname beside her, she felt like a Queen.

The couple advanced towards the door, where Takuma greeted each of his guests before allowing them inside. "Kaname! Yuki!" he smiled brightly at the appearance of the two Purebloods. "Welcome! I'm glad you came!"

Kaname returned the smile, placing his hand on Ichijou's shoulder "We wouldn't miss it" he replied. Yuki nodded, sending Takuma her own bright smile, before they entered the house. It was easy enough to find the ballroom; every vampire in the house was heading towards it. Not to mention it was the brightest room in the house. Like the Aido house, the ballroom was big. Easily bigger than the Aido ballroom as well.

Behind them, Yuki could hear Takuma greeting the others. She wanted to touch her stomach but refused the urge. With as many vampires around as there were, she would be easy prey to them if they learned she was pregnant. She already knew Kaname would vote to isolate her even more than he had after her awakening when she was further into her pregnancy. And for a change, she actually agreed. She felt his hand slip down to hold her around her waist and she looked up at him, curious as to what he was thinking. His eyes were focused on Aido's younger sister.

Kaname looked from Aido's sister to gently kiss Yuki's forehead. "I'll be right back, my dear. I wish to relay condolences for her father's death"

Yuki nodded and watched him depart. He had already relayed his condolences to Aido the first chance he was able. The first time she had ever seen Aido's sister was at the ball... back when she was still human. All of the girls had been flirting with Kaname and it had made her feel inferior to him. She brushed the feeling aside. Her and Kaname were married now. End of story. No more flirty women. He was hers and hers alone.

She looked through the crowd to find someone she knew, but before she could, an Aristocrat woman stepped up to her. The woman bowed politely to her before starting to talk quite rapidly. It seemed the subject ranged from her being a Pureblood to the weather, to Yuki's dress. It was quite annoying, but Yuki put up with it, smiling attentively and replying when needed. Finally the woman's husband came to claim her and the two left together. The woman was babbling happily about her conversation with the Pureblood.

"Did I miss something?" a low voice asked from behind her. Yuki spun around before laughing. Kaname stood behind her, an amused smile on his handsome face, and two champainge flutes of blood tablets in his hands.

She took one of the glasses from him and took a sip "Not really.." she assured him "Just a woman who wanted to have a conversation with me"

"Oh? And how did that play out?" he questioned.

"Well enough I suppose. You know older women, mostly talk" she smiled "I missed you though"

The rest of the evening was fairly uneventful. Elders talked to them both, and they replied in turn. Action came towards the end of the night, when Takuma drew attention to himself at the foot of a flight of stairs.

"I'd like to thank you all for attending tonight" he started "I know I invited you all here with the idea that this was because I am now the head of my house. Well, this isn't entirely true" he paused and held his hand out. From the front of the crowd, a lovely woman with brown hair and wearing a green dress took his hand. "I'd like you all to meet my fiancee, Hiromi" Takuma smiled, taking Hiromi's hand in his own.

Applause broke out through the entire room, echoing off the smooth walls. Yuki smiled, clapping with the others. She could tell the news had startled Kaname, but she doubted it was in a bad way. They both thought that Takuma deserved to be happy. After everything Sara had done to him, a beautiful loving wife would be a significant improvement.

Kaname watched the proceedings silently. He was silently wishing all the best wishes he knew on his dearest friend. The girl was unfamiliar to him, but he didn't doubt that Takuma would have taken the time to know what she was really like. He just hoped it wasn't a whirlwind romance and that she would hurt him even more. For now, he could only hope that she was genuine.

The party ended shortly after the announcement. Everyone gave their congratulations before filing out. Kaname and Yuki were among the last to leave, having waited patiently for their turn. The only others left in the room were Akatsuki, Ruka, Aido and Seiren. They could have claimed it at any time, but as the last in the room it allowed them to speak freely. Not that anything to be said was a secret, but being able to speak freely in such a large room was a big help.

"Kaname, I want to thank you and Yuki again for coming tonight" Takuma smiled, his arm around his fiance's shoulder.

Kaname smiled and inclined his head politely "But of course. I was quite happy to hear of your engagement"

Hiromi smiled and dropped into a curtsy before the Purebloods. "Permit me to echo Takuma's praise of you being here" she said in a warm voice.

Yuki smiled, deciding to talk to Hiromi while Kaname spoke with Takuma "But of course. Takuma's a good friend of Kaname's. He wouldn't miss it for the world"

Hiromi opened her mouth to reply, but Yuki held her hand up to stop her. Her stomach was turning in a not so good way. "Forgive me for interrupting... but where is a bathroom?" she asked. To cover her reason she quickly added "I'm afraid some of my makeup is running..." It was a lame excuse, but right now she didn't care. When Hiromi pointed the way to her, it was all she could do not to run out of the room. As she left she noticed Kaname pull Takuma to the sidelines.

Kaname had overheard Yuki's request and quickly guessed the real reason she was seeking a bathroom. It took him two seconds to decide to spoil her when they got home. In the mean time, he needed to make sure of something. Gently pulling Takuma out of earshot of his bride-to-be, he requested that Takuma keep Yuki's pregnancy from Hiromi.

Takuma nodded slowly, his face serious, but not to much so. "Of course Kaname. I wouldn't tell her without your permission anyway"

Kaname nodded a thank you before saying a quick goodbye. If Yuki was ill it was time to leave. He retreated with his small posse to find her, catching up to her just as she exited the bathroom.

Yuki sighed gratefully when she saw Kaname. The others with him could only mean he was ready to leave. Much to her relief. Hiromi was nice enough, but if her morning sickness was starting for the time being, she didn't want to be there. Kaname's strong arm wrapped around her shoulders, helping to support her as they made their way outside.

At his insistence, the others left before them. Just as he was helping Yuki into the car, a vampire lunged from the other side of the car, trying to bite her. In one fluid motion, Kaname pushed Yuki inside grabbed the attacker and shoved him against the car door. The attacker was a youth of sixteen or so, with shaggy brown hair and green eyes.

The boy thrashed desperately against Kaname's hand, struggling to be free "Please..." he whispered. He green eyes were quickly drown by the crimson of blood-lust.

Yuki watched from inside the car as Kaname's eyes narrowed. She knew that look. He would kill the teenager for such an attempted attack. "No! Kaname don't!" she shouted, darting from the car to stop him.

Kaname glared at the boy. How dare he beg for freedom while his eyes clearly lusted for Yuki's blood. Only Yuki's interference had stayed his hand. He released the youth, helped Yuki back in the car before getting in himself. He glanced behind him as the car took them from the young vampires sight.


	5. Intruder

Yuki got out of the car, watching Kaname. He'd calmed outwardly since the boy had left their sight, but she could tell he was still upset. She ascended the stairs alongside him, watching him from the corner of her eye. He was unusually close to her. Not that there was anything wrong with that, after all, they were married. It was just the fact that he was never that close to her normally. _Guess he got protective of me again after what happened... and I can't really blame him_, she thought.

Kaname remained quiet as they went upstairs to their room. In fact he said little the rest of the night. It relieved her greatly then, that he showed his normal affections by gently kissing her forehead as she laid down.

There was little time to sleep since he had a business meeting coming up in five hours. He amused himself by watching his dear wife sleep. He retained his thought that she looked angelic when asleep. He could stare at her forever and never see enough of her. Yet for all his efforts, his mind returned to the youth who had attempted to attack her. His rational mind told him that he was making a mountain out of a molehill, but he couldn't help it. The nerve of the boy. Ever since two months ago he'd been even more protective of her than he had before. Before she'd been his sister, then his fiance, now his wife and the mother of his child. How could he not be protective of her? After all, what else in his life had been this good? The human and vampire wars? Not a chance. And of course he'd cared for the Hooded Woman, but then again, he never even knew her name. But she too had left. He didn't want to loose Yuki in the same way. _I don't want. . . for her to sacrifice herself. . ._ Zero's word's flashed into his mind. It was exactly what he wanted. With her personality, she likely would too.

Kaname sat in bed until the small alarm in the bedside clock began to chime. Thankfully it was a small chime and wouldn't wake Yuki. He rose and quickly dressed, his eyes never far from his darling wife as he went through the ritual of dressing. He paused as he looked at the half sloppy tie in the mirror. Yuki was much better at things like this, but he wouldn't wake her up for something so trivial. Instead, he moved to the bedside where she lay sleeping on her side. Her hair was stretched across her back with several of the long strands hanging across her face.

Gently, Kaname reached a hand out and brushed the strands away from her face and rested them across her back. "Be safe, Yuki" he whispered softly, stooping to place a soft kiss on her cheek. Yuki shifted in her sleep as if in reply. Kaname smiled, taking in one last sight of his beautiful lover before leaving the room. Seiren followed him, as she usually did.

Yuki woke up to a faint _click_ "Kaname?" she asked, quickly sitting up. The sun had risen high into the sky, but the curtians kept the room fairly dim. She remembered Kaname had a meeting and she guessed he'd just left. She got up slowly, not wanting to get dizzy or ill. Yuki shifted out of bed before slipping a robe on. She headed towards the bathroom but changed course as her stomach growled. Thankfully it seemed she wasn't sick, yet. Her feet padded down the stairs creating small scuffles on the wooden floor. She yawned again but stopped as she noticed the front door. The door was open, not a lot but enough to show it had been open recently. Could someone in the house have not shut the door fully? Perhaps when Kaname had left? No. Kaname and Seiren both would have shut the door fully. Someone had been there. She instantly retreated up the stairs.

The sight of the door had woke her up, and she could now smell another scent. It seemed almost familuar, as if she'd caught the scent before. No matter what, she couldn't place it. Yuki started trying to think of a way out of this, but everything she could think of put her child in danger. The Artemis was in the room, but physical fighting could risk the baby; Aido and the others were gone -or at least not there at the moment- so she couldn't count on them. She could also try her new powers, but she was still mastering them, and if she relied on them, she could wind up injured or worse.

Desperately, she grabbed a decorative sword from the mantle before heading back out. She was going to try heading towards the front door and getting to Kaname. The feelings of fear that overwhelmed her bugged her. She felt like every two seconds she was jumping at her own shadow, in fact she did once. A rustle at the curtians, a creak in the floor boards, each small sound made her jump. She turned a corner and bumped into something hard. She stumbled back and looked up. Her eyes widened and she gasped as she recognized the person before her.

Zero stood in front of her, the _Bloody Rose_ in his hands. "Yuki..." he looked mildly surprised, but still as calm as ever. "Where is it?" he asked.

"Zero..." she whimpered, embracing her best friend as tears slipped down her cheeks. She felt one of his arms wrap around her "It?" she questioned, looking up at him.

"I was sent here hunting a Level E..." he replied. His tone was professional, but held traces of tenderness. "Why don't you use the Artemis?" he asked, noticing that she was only holding a dull sword.

"Oh...I... uh..." she stuttered, debating about telling him. In the end, she couldn't keep it from him "I'm pregnant.." she whispered.

Zero's eyes widened in surprise "O-Oh..." he said softly. His heart beat faster. He knew she'd chose Kaname, but he couldn't help the rush of feelings that he felt when he saw her. And now she was pregnant...with that cursed Pureblood's child. But even if it was Kaname's child, it was half Yuki's. For that reason he was going to protect her and the child. "Stay with me... I'll keep you safe" he gave her a small smile.

Yuki nodded and smiled in relief. Zero started moving down the hallway, one arm wrapped around Yuki's shoulder, holding her close. He could smell it, that Level E. "From what I heard, the target became a Level E a day ago, less actually. He'd been spotted near a wealthy estate, so we got a warning about him"

"O-Oh..." she moved with him, glad he was here. She trusted Zero with her life and she always would, even when he officially killed her. _Someday, I will hunt you down...and kill you_. She remembered the words clearly. Zero had told them to her the first time she left with Kaname. But she still trusted him.

Zero's hand left her shoulder, moving down the dark hallways. The stench had grown and he knew it was close.

A small noise made Yuki turn, a fraction of a second to late. The Level E pounced on her back, forcing her roughly to the ground. Zero spun around and aimed his gun. But with him on top of Yuki, he couldn't get a clean shot. He gritted his teeth and swore mentally. Of course... the vampire had just become a Level E, he was still smart.

"Why?" the Level E shrieked in Yuki's ear. Yuki struggled to turn, as she did, she managed to elbow his chest and cause him to retreat enough so that she could get out. She scrambled back towards Zero, catching a glimpse of shaggy brown hair from the crazy vampire. "You could have saved me! I didn't have to become like this!" the Level E shrieked again, a hint of sorrow in his crazed voice.

Yuki stopped at his last words and looked up, trying to get a better look at the attacker. If his eyes were green instead of a bloody red. . . She gasped when she recognized him. _Just as Kaname was helping Yuki into the car, a vampire lunged from the other side of the car, trying to bite her_. _The attacker was a youth of sixteen or so, with shaggy brown hair and green eyes. "Please..." he begged. . . He'd been spotted near a wealthy estate_. . . _You could have saved me! I didn't have to become like this!_

Tears filled her eyes in sympathy for the boy. "I-I'm so sorry..." she whispered. As she spoke, the former youth lunged towards her. From in front of her, Zero lowered the gun level with the Level E's chest. Two gun shots rang out. . .


	6. A Third Heartbeat

The Level E froze in his tracks. Fear was written in his face and blood red eyes. The _Bloody Rose_ was still smoking. The bullets had missed completely, but not due to poor aim on Zero's part. A hand had grabbed Zero at the last second.

Kaname turned crimson hues towards the Level E. "After I spared your life, this is how you repay us? By attacking my mate?" he growled. His calm voice was laced with anger. Even Zero knew better than to be in the kid's position at that moment. Kaname advanced towards the vampire, his eyes the only part of him that seemed enraged.

Yuki could tell that despite his attempts to stay calm, he was furious. It was scary to see a Pureblood angry. Even though Yuki was a Pureblood herself, it was a scary thought, to see how enraged her own kind could be. And, on top of it, it was her _mate_ that was livid.

There was a flash and a gust of wind, then all was still. Only a pile of dust on the floor betrayed what had once been a living being. It made her sad in a way, to think that life could be so fragile. That her, her child and even Kaname and Zero could die and leave no trace that they had even existed. Even Human's turned to dust, but there was at least a body and a skeleton to mark their existence. But with vampires...they were eternal and yet... fleeting.

Kaname turned back towards the Hunter and the Pureblood. His crimson eyes cooling back to the dark pools that resided in his eyes. Those same eyes quickly examined the Hunter beside his wife "What are you doing here, Kiryu?" he asked calmly. He was back to his old self again. Complete with his dislike for Zero clearly written on his features.

Zero's face displayed the same sort of hatred for Kaname, but he held his tongue at least in front of Yuki. "I was sent here to kill that Level E" he replied bluntly. He grudgingly replaced the _Bloody Rose_ in its holster. "But with my job done _for me_ I'll be on my way" he turned to leave, nodding a curt goodbye to Yuki. He was going to have fun explaining to The Headmaster exactly why Kaname had killed the Level E.

Once Zero was out of sight, and the faint echo of a door opening and closing was heard, Kaname turned concerned eyes on his beloved wife. "Yuki..." he murmured, taking one of her hands in his "Are you alright?" his other hand caressed her cheek as he bent to stare into her endless brown eyes.

"Y-Yes.. I'm alright" she stuttered softly. Her doe like eyes looking up at him in a mix of relief and traces of fear from the near attack a minute before.

He placed a chaste kiss on her lips before allowing his hand to stray from her's and down to her thin abdomen "And our little one?" he asked. Concern for his wife and child grew in him, though he could tell she was alright, and instinct told him that the baby was alright. In truth though, one could hardly blame him for being so worried. After all he had lost in his life time, he was scared to loose anything else. Especially not the two best things that had ever happened to him.

Yuki quickly lowered her gaze to his hand before smiling quickly "Oh.. Its alright" she blushed "I-I didn't use the _Artemis_ because of it. I was glad Zero showed up when he did otherwise I might have been hurt by the time you got here" She smiled up at him.

Kaname returned her smile and started guiding her back to the bedroom, his arms in a protective embrace around her. His nose didn't point out anything else out of the ordinary, but the recent events had caused him to want to protect her even more.

Yuki tilted her head and looked up at him, her long hair flowing to the side "Kaname?" she asked "W-Why are you back so soon? I thought you had a meeting?" It wasn't that she wasn't glad to see him back so soon, quite the other way around actually, but she couldn't help but wonder why he'd shirked his duties as the Head of the Vampires.

Kaname swung the door to the bedroom open, guiding her inside before closing it. "I was on my way to the meeting when I caught the scent of that Level E... and Zero. I knew something had to be wrong for them to be so near the house. So, I came home." His rich voice made it sound as if it was the most natural thing in the world for him to have done. It almost sounded as if there would be no ill return for having abandoned the meeting.

Yuki figured there most likely wouldn't be to many repercussions for leaving the meeting since it was majorly to begin founding versions of Cross Academy across the world. However, it was still something that he should be there for. Instead, he guided her to the bed and laid her on her back, before laying beside her. His arms around her protectively. His deep eyes watched her with the deepest affection possible before he shifted, sitting up on his elbow. "I'd be surprised if this didn't even make you thirsty..." he stated calmly, hints of amusement in his eyes.

She propped herself up too and blushed at his remark "W-Well, it did make me a little thirsty..." she confessed. The words had barely escaped her lips before he'd pressed her to his neck. She could smell the fresh blood just below the surface and it was driving her insane. Exposing her tongue, she licked his neck, just above a vein. That brief taste of him increased her thirst. Her eyes turned a bloody crimson as she bit into him, none to gently, but none to roughly either.

His hot blood poured down her throat, helping to nourish her body. It always left her a little in shock at how much his blood energized her. When she drank, she felt she'd never get enough. With each drop of his blood in her mouth, she felt his constant love for her. Constant and growing. Like sand on the beach, or water in the oceans. She closed her eyes at the warm sensation. Vaguely, she felt his arms wrap around her, holding her closer in a loving embrace.

Kaname closed his eyes as she drew his life force. If it was by her hand, he would accept anything that she had to give him, even death. If she wanted his blood, he would give it without complaint. It was the very least he could do for the woman he loved so completely. When he did this he always felt as if he was in tune with her. He was nourishing her body, and their child. It was a warming thought for someone who'd been alone so long. He'd almost grown used to not being fed from. He'd grown used to not feeding in long periods of time. But now, with her in his arms, and her fangs in his neck, he was glad that she was there to feed from him.

Thus, as the sun began to set outside, trailing long shadows across everything it touched, Kaname remained in an embrace with his dearest love. Long after she had finished feeding, he pressed her close to him. Her heartbeat had matched his and now beat in perfect time. A third, smaller heartbeat, joined the duo. Kaname smiled slightly. The smaller, more rapid heartbeat that told him their child was there. How he hadn't sensed it before was beyond him. But he could sense it now. Pulling his beloved closer, he buried his face in her neck and closed his eyes.

Night was the time of the vampires, but the vampires day had been tampered with. And for this night at least, Kaname felt like sleeping through part of his day.


	7. Lessons in Cooking

Kaname awoke from his slumber in the middle of the night. By the moons shadows he guessed that he'd slept a few hours at the least. So for his time it was about mid-morning/early-afternoon. It took him two more seconds to discover that his mate was no where around. Releasing a small sigh, he pulled himself into a sitting position before swinging his legs over the bed. His mind was still partially cloudy from his nap, thus it took a moment for the Pureblood to gather his thoughts before his stood. He ventured from the room, following the faint noises from downstairs.

Upon moving closer, he discovered it was the kitchen. Pots and pans were being moved around and occasionally crashing. He saw the cause as he entered the doorway; Yuki, with an adorable apron tied around her waist, was attempting to cook another meal. Looking closer, he noticed a plain book. The kanji's for 'Cook Book' or closest equivalent to it, were etched on front in fading gold letters.

"Ok, lets see.." Yuki muttered to herself, clearly oblivious to the other Pureblood's presence, "Ok... Oil is in the pan... um... one ginger root in long slices... check... hmm.." her fingers scanned the list until she found the next item "Ah-ha! '1/4 pound thinly sliced lean pork' " she read off quickly before heading to the fridge to pull out the package of pork that Aido had bought for food. Half skipping, Yuki made her way back to the counter, quickly unpacking the meat and setting it on the cutting board to chop.

Yuki hummed happily to herself as she worked. The tune was cut off by a sudden yelp as her hand slipped and cut her finger. It wasn't more than a deep cut, but it started bleeding a lot. Half a heartbeat later, Kaname was beside her, his vigil at the door forgotten as he gently raised her finger to his lips, wiping away the blood with his tongue. "Perhaps you... should be more careful, Yuki" he murmured when he was done.

Yuki's wide eyed shock gave way to a sudden -and rare- burst of genuine anger. "Kaname! What were you doing there? Don't sneak up on me like that!" she yelled. The second the words left her mouth she regretted it. They'd been simple enough questions, but they way she'd said them... to Kaname of all people. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she watched him stand in shock. His hand had paused mid-air, on its way to cup her cheek gently.

Yuki felt terrible. How could she have said something so mean when he only cared about her? Unbidden, the tears began to slip down her cheeks. His warm skin interfered with the trails of tears, brushing the salty liquid from her cheeks. Daring to meet his gaze, she looked up at him. His eyes had softened, telling her it was alright, he knew she hadn't meant it.

"K-Kaname... I..." she whispered, her voice cracking from the tears.

"I know.." he murmured gently "Its alright" the sheer venom in her words was what had made him pull back. However, if he'd remembered correctly, mood swings were a frequent side effect of pregnancy. He had been fairly young when Juri had been pregnant with Yuki, but he remembered Juri snapping at Haruka and then sobbing about it for hours. He supposed it was just a sign that her pregnancy was progressing. Cravings..._that_, he wasn't fully sure if he wanted to see. Juri's he didn't think had been that bad, although he wasn't quite sure. He'd never had to put up with it since he was either in bed or busy.

Snapping out of the memories, he gave his beloved another tender smile "Don't worry...I know you didn't mean it..." he assured her. "It was an accident..Nothing more"

Bitter scents bean to attack the noses of both vampires. "Yuki... did you turn the pan with the oil on?"

"Huh?" Oh! The sauce was in it!" she frowned, scrambling to the stove to shut it off. The sauce had mostly evaporated and the remainder of it had burned, resulting in the bitter scent.

Kaname's lips formed an upset, yet almost amused smile "Its not wise to heat up a skillet with only liquid in it.." he chuckled softly. Though it was quite amusing, she'd made quite the mess. He guessed though, that Aido would be on the scene any minute to discover the cause of the noise and the scent of something burning.

Quick pounding on the stairs announced the Aristocrat's arrival, along with the three others.

Aido stared slack-jawed at the mess before him and the sheepish looking Pureblood Princess -well, Queen- smiling nervously. He quickly recovered himself and bowed to the couple "Please, allow me to clean this up" he said politely.

Kaname nodded and looped an arm around Yuki, guiding her from the room. The smoke had gotten to her and she was coughing, waving a hand in front of her face. Kaname helped her upstairs and into one of the luxurious chairs in the bedroom.

"I've been thinking.." He began slowly, lowering himself into a seat beside her. At her curious glance he continued. "I'm going to speak to Aido and have him change your lessons away from basics and the rules of our society." he paused, waiting for his ever curious mate to chime up. When she stayed silent he continued "Instead, he'll teach you about pregnancy. I doubt the Day Class at the Academy covered more than the basics of the body."

Yuki blushed, nodding a confirmation of his theory. "Yes.. I uh, never really paid attention to that lesson" she chuckled nervously.

Kaname smiled. He sort of figured she hadn't. "I'll speak to Aido about it once the kitchen is cleaned" he said gently, a hint of amusement in his voice. "In the meantime, was there anything you wanted to do?" he asked her.

Yuki paused, trying to think of something "Um.. how about we read?" she suggested. She knew how much Kaname liked to read, and she figured she could find something entertaining to read. She wanted to try something she'd heard about.

He blinked, a small smile gracing his lips "Very well. Did you have something in mind?"

"Uhhhhh..." she got up, heading for his study where most of their books were kept. She browsed over them until she found one that seemed interesting. She plucked it from the shelf and handed it to him."This one!" It didn't occur to her that she seemed like a small child handing a book to her older sibling to read to her. Kaname, however, thought of it instantly. The thought made him smile as he grasped the book, gently pulling it from her grasp to look at the title.

"Sherlock Holmes?" he questioned with a smile, glancing up at her.

She nodded quickly, knowing it was an interesting book. "Come on~!" she whined, grabbing his hand and pulling him back to the bedroom, just like she had when she was a child.

Kaname chuckled lowly, following her. He let her settle on the bed before settling down with her. In the end they wound up lying on their backs, propped against the pillows, Yuki on her side mostly curled against him. Kaname rested one arm around her, pulling her closer so that he could rest his cheek on her head. Before he could open the book though, Yuki spoke up.

"Onii-sama, can you read it it out loud like you used to?" she asked, looking up at him with her doe-like eyes.

"Of course..." he murmured, kissing her head. Opening the book, he began to read to her. His rich voice speaking clearly, taking his time as he progressively lost himself in the story he was reading. Yuki's warm body snuggled against him, shifting occasionally to get more comfortable. Finally, she returned to her first position, resting on her side, her brown eyes reading along with him. Her right arm draped over her hip, her fingers absently stroking her stomach.

Aido had come earlier to tell them that the kitchen was cleaned, though he'd never entered. Kaname had sensed him but continued reading. He smiled lightly as he finished a chapter. Yuki had fallen asleep against him. He closed the book and set it down at the same time that there was a soft knock.

Kaname looked up, shifting Yuki off of him. "Enter" he said lowly.

Aido stepped into the room before bowing politely. "Forgive the intrusion, Lord Kaname, but Headmaster Cross has requested your presence"

Kaname let out a small sigh and got up. "Alright. I'll be there soon"

An hour later, Kaname stood across the desk from Kaien Cross. The normally goofy blond was actually being serious for once. "Kaname, theres been a very serious development. A group of ten Hunters has gone rogue" he slid a file across the desk, exposing a photo of a youth younger than even Yuki. He was about fifteen "His name is Masaru Ranku. He's the leader of the group the Chishi. Their goal is simple, kill all vampires, Purebloods, Level E's and everything in between. They've already killed a few former humans. Their symbol is a Rose bud dripping in the blood of their victim."

Kaname listened silently. If this was true then it would put Yuki in danger. "I see. Thank you for telling me about this. I'll be sure to warn the others." he said calmly, turning to leave. Kaien's voice stopped him though.

"Kaname, how's Yuki been?"

Kaname paused before replying "She's with child.." he said lowly before walking out, narrowly avoiding the Headmaster's happy whining. His thoughts were focused on returning to Yuki. He would figure out how to stop the Chishi before they could hurt the thing he cared the most about.


	8. Night of Woe

Yuki slowly got out of bed and looked around her. It had been almost two months since the Headmaster had told Kaname about the Chishi, and so far, nothing had happened yet. Yuki was now about four months pregnant, and as proof she had a small bump on her stomach. Much to her and Kaname's joy, she'd began to feel small flutters from it lately.

It seemed that moments of actually being with Kaname seemed to have been fewer lately than they should have. Most of his time was spent working with the Hunters to pinpoint the Chishi. She remembered the look of disgust on his handsome face when he'd faced the thought of working with Zero. Although, it seemed he'd rather work with Zero than have the Hunter around Yuki.

As a result of the threat of the Chishi, security had been doubled around the mansion, making the Pureblood feel a little uneasy. She hated the feeling of being watched, although she'd become accustomed to it. It didn't seem fair. Why would a group of Hunters want to kill every single vampire? Most vampires wanted peace. It just didn't sound fair to her. She was now trapped in her own house because of it. Well, she'd been 'trapped' there before for her own safety, but now that had been doubled, if not tripled. She hadn't even stepped outside since the news.

Kaname had hired more vampires to keep watch around the house, though the ex-Night Class were the only ones she allowed overly close to her. She knew Kaname wouldn't hire someone to protect her without thoroughly investigating him/her, but still. She had spent years around Aido, Ruka, Kain and Seiren -when she showed herself- it seemed natural to keep them around her.

As she stepped into the hallway, Ruka was waiting for her. The blond made a quick bow to Yuki before rising. Nearby, Kain was reading a stack of papers. The pair of lovebirds had been placed as her outside security due to Ruka being a female and therefore more normal to be around, and Kain due to his protectiveness of his new girlfriend.

"What are you looking at, Akatsuki?" Yuki asked curiously, moving closer to the Aristocrat.

He looked up at her "Huh? Just some reports from Lord Kaname"

"Is it about the Chishi?"

Akatsuki paused. He hated to have to bring this up around her, since Lord Kaname wanted to keep her out of it as much as possible. "Yeah.. A few recent reports say that more Noble's have been targeted.."

Yuki held her hand out to see, and after a long pause, Kain handed the files and accompanying pictures over to her. Yuki's jaw dropped at the photos. The blood of the Noble's was everywhere as if they'd been brutally tortured first. Their ash was mixed with their own blood, and in the middle of it all, a single red rose, dripping in blood.

"Lady Kuran" came Ruka's calm, cool voice. She stepped to Yuki's side, afraid of what might happen if the Pureblood saw to much more; she already seemed about to faint.

"T-Thats horrible..." Yuki stuttered, allowing Akatsuki to take the files back. He was just grateful she hadn't read any of the reports. Those would have made her pass out on the spot, and he didn't want to have to explain to the Pureblood King exactly why his mate passed out.

Yuki allowed Ruka to help her back to the room while she called one of the servants to bring some water. A teenager brought a silver goblet, the youth was one of the new people who'd been hired. He was around their age somewhere between fifteen and eighteen. His violet eyes were dipped in respect as he turned to leave.

Yuki slowly raised the glass to her lips, taking a hesitant sip. Ruka sighed from her place at Yuki's side. "Lady Kuran, allow me to suggest that you don't get involved in this. Lord Kaname wishes to keep you safe, its not right to put yourself out there for even emotional damage when he's going to such lengths to protect you." she said, her voice curt as usual.

"I-I know... but I don't want to just sit here... Kaname's working so hard... and I want to help..."

"Then you can do what he requests; stay here and attend the classes he set up for you."

Yuki flinched at the words. Ruka's tone hardly ever wavered and this was one of the times that what she was saying was the pure truth, and it stung. Yuki was curious by nature and it was just who she was for her to want to help Kaname.

A loud explosion drew the Pureblood from her thoughts. Akatsuki and Ruka were already bounding into action, servants scrambled everywhere as they tried to figure out what was going on. The violet eyed youth entered the room again, hastily bowing to Yuki "My lady, the enemy is at our door, we must get you out the back way!"

Ruka nodded quickly, sending a glance to Akatsuki. "Take Lady Yuki out the back, we'll stay and hold them off until she's safe" Ruka ordered the boy firmly.

The boy nodded and lightly hooked his arm around Yuki's, pulling her towards the exit. Ruka hurried downstairs, pushing past the chaotic vampires. Kain was right beside her as she went. Aido was waiting for them by the door.

"They're out there alright" he said seriously "And they're trying to get in. Where's Lady Yuki?"

"She's alright, Hanabusa" Akatsuki began in his calm yet soothing way "A servant is taking her out the back way."

Aido nodded, turning his attention towards the door as it vibrated loudly. "We need to inform Lord Kaname of the attack, but theres to much noise, we wouldn't make sense"

Ruka nodded in agreement, but Akatsuki didn't look so sure "Lord Kaname is perceptive... he may not understand what we're saying... but the chaos will get him home." he said, pulling his phone out. The number had barely been dialed before the door burst open, shards of the ancient door flying everywhere. An especially large one knocking the phone from the male's hand.

Aido flinched, setting his jaw in determination. "You'll have to get through us, Hunters!"

"Because we will not allow you into Lord Kaname's domain!" Ruka finished hotly, preparing herself for battle.

Instead of Hunters pouring through the doors as had been expected, it was only a small handful. Ten at the most. A select few began to attack the former Night Class, while others began to shoot randomly at the servants.

Kaname sighed to himself when his cellphone went off during a meeting. They'd been close to pinpointing the Chishi's location. He opened the flip phone only to be greeting by multiple sounds. Among the noises he could make out Aido and Ruka as well as gunfire. The latter caused him to snap the phone shut and rise from his spot, gathering his jacket in his arms "My apologies, theres been a family emergency.. I'm needed at home right away" he said politely before leaving.

Yuki went through the long tunnel that lead away from her home. The last time she'd been that way was when Kaname had been taking her there. The servant had let go of her arm some time before, when he was sure they were safe. She could smell the fresh air, signalling that they were almost out. Something made her wary against stepping outside though. It was as if something was horribly wrong.

Kaname arrived at home just as the battle ended. Under normal conditions, one would assume that the Pureblood's presence had frightened the Hunters off. It was at the time of his appearance that they pulled back. Dust littered the floor from those servants that they had wounded fatally. One of the Hunters fighting Ruka had given the signal to fall back.

Ruka scoffed "_That_ was an attack? They weren't even putting up a fight"

It was true. All they'd been doing was shooting servants and using basic hand to hand combat against the other three. It was as if they weren't even trying hard.

Kaname surveyed the mess before turning his gaze to Ruka. "Wheres Yuki?"

"One of the younger servants took her out the back door.." Akatsuki answered.

Without another word, Kaname made his way to the hidden exit. He wasn't sure exactly what had transpired, but it seemed like it had been to easy. Foreign scents carried on the breeze met him inside the tunnel. It wasn't like Kaname to run, but neither was it like him to walk calmly towards something that could be putting his wife in danger. Proper or not, it was just him. He broke into a run, his long legs carrying him swiftly over the ground.

Yuki tensed as she exited the tunnel. Something still felt wrong. She followed the boy about twenty feet before they found guns pointed at them from every direction, blocking any sort of escape. Her eyed widened; they'd been aware of the back door the whole time. But... in that case, why hadn't they sent someone inside? Feeling protective, she pulled the servant towards her "Stay behind me..."

"Well, looks like we got the Pureblood Queen, eh Boss?" one of the men in front of her smirked nastily.

A gun cocked directly behind her "That we did." came another voice. She knew _that_ voice. Turning slowly, she found her worst fears confirmed. There stood the boy who'd helped her out, an anti vampire weapon poised lightly in his hands as he smirked at her "Whats the matter? Wanting your mate to save you? By the time he gets here, it'll be to late..."

Her eyes widened as a gunshot rang out. The last thought she could think of before she passed out was; _Kaname... said there were only ten...but... I see about twenty.. does that mean... they grew?_

The sound of gunfire had quickened Kaname's pace. He burst through the end of the tunnel to find nothing. Fresh scents told him that there had been multiple people there within the last twenty minutes. Yuki had been there. Moving forward, he tensed in horror. He could smell her blood. There was no sign of them anywhere. His mate was gone, and she was wounded, possibly fatally.


	9. Crimson Chalice

Yuki woke slowly. Her eyes were blury and her body felt heavy. Her leg burned from the gunshot. It hadn't hit a vital organ or a major vein, thankfully, but she guessed she'd probably lost alot of much needed blood.

"Well now, looks like she's starting to come to" a voice behind her jeered.

"Yeah... she'll be perfect. He won't rest until he finds her. She is our most valuable card." another voice, the former servant, spoke up.

"Eh? Masaru, what do you have planned?"

"Patience... We bring him to us, and if she gets a little banged up in the process, the worse the better"

Yuki shuddered, she didn't like the tone of his voice. Why did they want Kaname so badly? And how far would they go to make him angry? Would they kill her or the baby? She pushed herself up and looked around. She was in a cell, a small barred and netted window ensured sunlight and air entered.. and nothing escaped. Her long hair was tangled from the scuffle and her nightgown was stained with blood.

Gathering her voice and her courage, she addressed the two males hotly "What do you plan to do with me?"

Masaru barked a short laugh from the other side of the cell door "We plan to use you of course... To lure the Kuran King to us. A society without a leader falls into chaos and the remanants are easily picked off"

"But... You.. your a vampire too..." she started. Kaname had only hired other vampires in the house... but here.. here he smelled different.

The teen smirked and clicked his tongue "Careful, 'Queen', you don't want to hurt that pretty little head of yours with so much tedious thinking" he mocked. Some of his shaggy hair fell in his face and he sighed in irritation. "I cannot wait to strip this color from my hair and return it to its natural color." It was then that Yuki noticed his eyebrows, instead of some shade of blond, they were a dark brown, close to black.

"So you.. you dyed your hair?"

He nodded shortly, deciding that it would do no harm to tell her how'd he'd gotten in at least. Carefully, he reached to his eyes, his nail serching for something, until it succeded in pulling out a purple contact lense. "Yes.. Papers and background files are easy enough to forge, however since the Hunters had a photograph of me, I couldn't use my natural features. Thus, I dyed my hair and wore these," he pointed at a contact. His dark wine colored eye bored into her. For a brief moment his eyes were mis-matched until he removed the other lense, exposing another garnet colored eye.

Her breath caught at the matching gems that made up his eyes. They looked just like Kaname's. "W-Why do you want Kaname so bad?"

Another curt laugh escaped his lips. "For his Queen your not very smart are you?" he jeered. "I'll be surprised if _he_ hasn't figured it out already." he said simply, turning away to leave.

"Kaname'll come for me! He'll beat you, no matter what!" she said defiantly.

Masaru stopped at that. His posture tense, and Yuki realized she might have gone to far. After all, who knew exactly how sane he was. "Teach her a lesson" Masaru growled before leaving the room.

The male left in the room with her grinned nasitily. He unlocked the cell door slowly. "Heh... my pleasure Boss" he smirked. Yuki backed against the wall, trapped within the stone cell.

Five minutes later, the man exited the room, pulling the door shut behind him. Yuki was on the floor, blood from smaller cuts splattered on the walls. He'd mostly struck her arms and legs, although one hard blow had hit her side. It burned badly, and she was having trouble breathing. "Kana.. me.." she gasped through clenched teeth "Hurry.."

Kaname was in the study of the Headmaster, his calm exterior carefully hiding the fear, exasperation and anger raging inside him. One thought constantly raidated through his head; _Who ever would dare to do this to you, Yuki, will pay with their lives_. His eyes hurriedly scanned over information reguarding the Masaru boy. It was every file the Hunters had on the teen. Brief shock crossed his eyes as he read the birth certificate. He stood quickly, slamming the book shut.

The Headmaster, who'd been sitting behind his desk, looked up quickly at the sudden action "Kaname?" he asked seriously "Did you find something?"

Kaien had been doing everything he could to help Kaname, even producing the needed records. Yuki was, after all, his adopted daughter. They'd considered requesting Zero's help, but Kaname had denyed, saying Kiryu would overreact.

Kaname shook his head. He needed to take care of this on his own... as soon as he found where they were hiding Yuki. "No.. I'll return home for the day" he said lowly. His mind was racing, though, slowly, it was making sense. It made sense as to why they took Yuki.

As he headed home, he caught a scent. His mind was half dulled by the thoughts pounding at his head like a drum. His nose, thankfully, identified the scent, bringing his mind to attention. Blood. It was faint though. "Yuki..." he murmured, starting towards the scent.

It didn't take the Pureblood long to find the sorce; an abandoned building. Another step made him stop. He had to be careful in this place. Either old spells were still in place, or the building was not as abandoned as it seemed. The latter seemed more reasonable since the spell prevented vampires from entering without a Hunter, or handcuffs, just like the main building. "Show yourself, Hunter" he said calmly.

"Well, you arrived quicker than expected" Masaru jeered, stepping from behind the door. "So your really as smart as they say, I'm impressed. Perhaps I'll continue this game a little longer" He crossed his arms before leaning carelessly against the wall.

Kaname's form wavered before vanishing into a horde of bats. The bats reassembled in Kaien's office. "I need a pair of handcuffs used by the Hunters" he said firmly. The tone left no room for arguement. Without question, the Headmaster handed it over. Before he could question the Pureblood, he was gone, a pair of keys and all.

Masaru opened the door, alerting the guard outside the cell "Bring the girl, we need her now." he cast a glance at the injured Pureblood. "Its a good thing that the gun prevented her from healing. Take her to the main gate, I'll meet you there." And with that, the blond was gone, leaving the guard to haul Yuki to her feet.

Yuki's side burned with pain, and the heavy hands on her arm hurt the sensitive cuts. Dark bruises had also appeared along her arms after the beating. She stared at the hand of the man dragging her. His blood could help... but she couldn't bite a human... she wouldn't. Her free hand moved to her stomach, attempting to reassure herself that the life within was safe.

Masaru headed for his room, his footsteps slow and calm as could be. It had been planned to perfection, and it would be over soon. Either both Purebloods would be dead, or the Pureblood Queen would be.

He closed the heavy door to his room. It was sparcely fournished, but still looked fit for royalty. He moved to the large wardrobe, pulling one of the brass handles to open it. Alongside a few casual outfits were multiple dark and majestic outifits each fit for a masquerade.

With slow, precise, moves he began to change his clothes, choosing a black suit, hemed blood red. The wardrobe was complete with a black mask that darkened the garnet eyes. His wardrobe complete, he headed for the old wall. It seemed bare except for two holes in the plaster. Hooking his fingers in the holes, he pulled it open. The cracks in the wall yielded, exposing a small refridgerator.

Reaching inside, he pulled out a medium IV package of blood. Closing the fridge, he replaced the cracked drywall and squeezed the crimson contents into a waiting chalice beside the bed. Discarding the plastic package, he raised the chalice to his lips. _Yes... soon, it will all be over. Father... I will make sure that the Kuran's are exterminated..._


End file.
